Focus on oRthoPeDIcs - Renown Health

FRIDAY | APRIL 25, 20 0 8
<strong>Focus</strong> on Orthopedics
Patient success in Cardiac Rehab
Surgery services at Renown South Meadows
Cultural diversity at Labor and Delivery

CULTURAL DIVERSITY
IN LABOR & DELIVERY
NURSES CREATE THEIR
OWN GUIDE
CEOnotes
As you read through this issue of the Monitor,
there will be a theme that may be subtle at
first, but that is present in everything we do to
foster a culture of quality care. That theme is
responsibility.
A great example is the cover story package
on Orthopedics. Both in the Total Joint
Replacement project and our work in Trauma
Services, Renown employees are working with
physicians and peers to optimize the patient
experience.
These projects are examples that quality is
everyone’s responsibility. That includes me,
our leaders and board members, physicians,
and every employee in both clinical and
support services across the health network.
The fostering of teamwork to deliver great
patient care is the only way we can achieve the
best outcomes and customer service for every
patient, every time.
When you read about success stories such as
these – or the stories on the patient experience
at Renown South Meadows Medical Center and
one personal patient story in Cardiac Rehab at
Renown Regional – I hope you’ll be able to see
a reflection in your own work.
Did you know that Samoan mothers-to-be are
modest, strongly family-oriented and listen to their
grandmothers as well as mothers for birthing advice?
For some Hispanic women, there is a belief that tying a
red ribbon or red piece of yarn around their stomachs
will ward off bad outcomes. In many Asian cultures,
pregnant women don’t drink cold beverages for fear
they might lead to infection.
Labor and Delivery employees at Renown Regional
Medical Center have learned about these cultural
traditions and family interactions from the work of
two registered nurses on their unit. Leanne Gori, RN,
and Debbie Hawley, RN, recently completed a Clinical
Ladder Level 3 project on cultural diversity.
“We decided to focus on the cultural backgrounds
of our current patient population,” said Gori. “We
recognized the need, and I think we have inevitably
improved care by better understanding our patients’
beliefs and traditions.”
Nurses now have a culture and nursing care guide
that they can refer to on the unit for information on
Tongans, Samoans, Japanese, American Indians, and
Hispanics, to name a few. In addition, nurses can read
up on these cultural differences and take a test on
the unit to receive a cultural diversity credit. Cultural
diversity is an important aspect of any Magnetdesignee
hospital and was another reason why Gori
and Hawley chose the project.
I know from visiting units and hearing from
leaders that there are many team members
from across disciplines working together to
achieve the highest quality care at Renown
Health. Your ideas are important, innovative
and, in some cases, a national best practice.
This work is the foundation of our ability
to give the most advanced care in northern
Nevada – healthcare that our community
expects, and deserves.
Erin Foster, RN, Labor and Delivery, shows the Chinese-American
portion of the guide on cultural diversity created by nurses on
that Renown Regional unit.

A BETTER LIFE
PATIENT PRAISES WORK OF CARDIAC REHAB TEAM
It’s been 20 years since Reno resident Carl McDuffie
suffered a heart attack that forced him into cardiac arrest.
As part of his recovery, doctors referred him to Renown
Health’s cardiac rehabilitation program. McDuffie worked
with Cardiac Rehab Manager Doug Plourde, RN, and
Karen Page, RN, on a treatment plan that improved the
quality of his life tremendously.
“The first time you step through those doors, it’s very
daunting because you’re not exactly sure how much longer
you’ve got,” McDuffie said. “But, I was confident in the
course of action I had to take in order to maintain a healthy
lifestyle.”
Through motivating patients to improve their quality of
life, Cardiac Rehab works hand-in-hand with people who
suffer from a variety of heart conditions including heart
attack, bypass surgery and angioplasty. McDuffie credits
his life to cardiac rehabilitation and is unequivocally one of
the program’s greatest fans.
Carl McDuffie (center) works with Cardiac Rehab Manager Doug
Plourde, RN (right) and Karen Page, RN, on classic strength
exercises used at Heart Health at Renown Regional.
“Before rehab I wasn’t exercising, was smoking and
was working non-stop,” McDuffie said. “Once I started
the program, my wife Pat and I quit smoking, started
exercising and began making healthier decisions all
around. It gave me the faith and courage to live.”
Cardiac Rehab sets forth three goals for each patient
entering the program. The first is to ensure a patient’s
understanding of their heart condition and the treatment
they’ve been given. They then work with each patient to
create awareness about the individual’s risk factors (such
as smoking or a high-fat diet) and coach people to modify
or relinquish risky behaviors. Finally, the team focuses
on teaching the patient heart health exercises they can do
safely and with great benefits.
“We support people in making lifestyle changes,” said
Page. “Patients can’t do what they don’t know, and through
education they make good decisions imperative to their
care.”
McDuffie serves as an example for all cardiac patients and
is a true Renown success story. He continues exercising
daily and enjoys playing in the Sparks Recreation
Department’s senior softball league. In addition, McDuffie
enjoys fishing and walks with Pat, his wife of 50 years.
Alicia Bothmer, (left) Medical Exercise Specialist, works
on strength training with Carl McDuffie at the Heart
Rehab unit at Renown Regional.
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THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

MAKING A GENUINE DIFFERENCE
DIETARY SERVICES AT RENOWN REHAB
Working for an organization with
a Purpose as meaningful as ours
can bring out the best in people. All
employees connect to our Purpose, no
matter their role in the organization:
make a genuine difference in the many
lives we touch by optimizing our
patients’ healthcare experience.
The folks in Dietary at Renown
Rehabilitation Hospital are a great
example of living our Purpose. They
continuously perform at a level that
proves they are here to make the patient
experience the best it can be.
In their role, the Dietary team makes
sure patients receive meals that take
into account each person’s abilities
or functional limitations and stage of
rehabilitation. For example, patients
who have suffered from a stroke may
have limited ability to swallow and
these patients may be limited to what
they can or cannot eat.
From left to right, members of the Renown Rehabilitation Hospital dietary team: Flavia
de la Torre, Nutrition Assistant; Guadalupe Ayala, Cook; Raymundo Frausto, Dish Washer;
and Manuel Rivera, Cook.
Tracy Wessel, Food and Nutrition
Services Manager at Renown Rehab,
said the daily nutrition patients get from
their food plays a huge role in their
treatment, from the very start of their
stay to their return home.
“A patient’s food is treated like a
medication,” Wessel said. “The nutrition
we provide helps optimize their therapy
and recovery.”
Other employees in the Dietary
department include cooks, dishwashers
and nutrition assistants, to name a few.
They all have a role in optimizing the
patient’s experience. In fact, the Dietary
team’s focus on patient experience has
proven to be their strong point. They
have scored above the 95th percentile
for patient satisfaction and received the
top score – 100 percent – on a recent
Washoe County Health Department
inspection.
Pride in their work, connection to the
organization’s Purpose and compassion
for their patients shines through in the
Renown Rehab Dietary team.
EMR MILESTONE REACHED
HEALTH INFORMATION GOES LIVE AT RENOWN REGIONAL
Another Electronic Medical Record milestone has been
reached as Renown Regional Medical Center’s Health
Information Management Department started using
the system to track all patient charts across the health
network on March 25.
In addition to chart management -- past and future-
- HIM is utilizing the system to manage release of
information, access clinical information to support
coding and manage physician transcriptions, including
tracking when there is missing information. The
conversion from paper charting to the EPIC system
also allows HIM to perform some automation of chart
requests, such as when a surgery case is scheduled.
These EMR functions are specific to the HIM
department.
“It has been a huge transition but we are improving
every day and are on the right track, said Colleen Wolfe,
HIM Supervisor at Renown Regional. “We are working
out issues and moving along with training.”
In the long run, the system will save staff and physicians
valuable time as well as improve patient care.
“We have enhanced the ability for health care
professionals to access patient health history and other
pertinent information quickly,” said Marti Heesen-May,
HIM Director. “When we participate in periodic audits
by regulatory agencies such as the Joint Commission, the
EPIC system will make the entire process of information
gathering and chart auditing exponentially easier than
in the past.”
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THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

services for surgery patients
renown south meadows scores high on satisfaction survey
Quality and Service are two fundamentals we strive to
uphold each day. The Surgery department at Renown
South Meadows Medical Center has exemplified these
key fundamentals in their most recent Patient Satisfaction
Survey scores. Ranked in the top two percentile, the Surgery
department was candid about why they scored so well.
“We’re living the Purpose statement,” said Keith Covert,
Manager of Perioperative Services at Renown South
Meadows. “We’re all here to make a genuine difference. We
work as a team to create an environment where patients are
getting the best possible service.”
As the surgery volume at the hospital has grown to more
than 400 cases per month, the staff has displayed dedication
and flexibility to meet the needs of the community and the
department. As one example, Renown South Meadows
underwent conversion to the Electronic Medical Record, and
Covert said the surgery team stayed positive and adjusted to
the challenge well.
The Surgery department credits their score of 98 percent
on February’s Patient Satisfaction Survey to the hard work
everyone puts forth. As scores come in, Covert looks for
trends and solicits ideas from the rest of the team about
how they can stay ahead of a problem and fix current issues
that are an area of growth for the department. Additionally,
single-question surveys help get feedback immediately.
benefiting the community
By DAWN
AHNER
Chief Financial
Officer,
Renown
Health
As the community‘s only locally owned,
not-for-profit health network, Renown
Health’s income is used to expand our
programs and services in order to be
able to meet the region’s healthcare
needs, now and in the future. We
practice good stewardship of our area’s
limited healthcare resources so that
every member of our community has
access to a nurse and a bed when care is
needed.
Did you know that Renown provides
more 85 percent of indigent care
in our community? We fulfill our
responsibility to serve those least able to
pay for their care, and encourage other
hospitals to do the same. In addition, we
actively embrace our role in improving
the health and well-being of the people
in our community.
Each year, Renown publicly reports
our community benefit. Take a look
at our most recent report online
at renown.org>about Renown
Health>Community Benefit.
We can be proud of the $82.8 million
Renown invested in this community in
fiscal year 2006.
• $72.1 million in subsidized health
services for those in need
From left to right, Perioperative Supervisor Kathy Garrido, RN; Pieter
Van Tassel, Inventory Facilitator; and Keith Covert, Manager of
Surgical Services at Renown South Meadows Medical Center.
“It is nice to see our scores are so high,” said Ann Marie
Griffith, Surgical Technologist. “But we didn’t set out to get
high scores -- we set out to do a good job with the patients.”
Each member of the surgical team insists communication is the
No. 1 priority.
“It is important for us to try and find a way to relate what’s
happening to our patient,” said Jimi Onisile, technician. “It
all boils down to them. The more we communicate, the less
scared they seem to feel.”
Renown South Meadows also credits an emphasis on physician
satisfaction and quick turnaround times to great service.
• $7.6 million in free and low-cost
community health services
• $2 million in education for health
professionals
• $1.1 million in research,
contributions to organizations
and other community services.
This investment would not be
possible without the incredible
work of Renown employees. From
Nevada Women’s Expo health
screenings to thousands of flu
vaccines, from Health Hotline
calls to training for medical
students and other health
professionals, from our
generous support of local
non-profit organizations
and more, we are making a
genuine difference.
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THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

FOCUS
o n o r t h o p e d i c s
setting a national standard
orthopedic trauma program used as model for others
Renown Regional Medical Center’s orthopedic trauma
program is a great example of the strong relationship the
health network has with Reno’s orthopedic care community.
It’s also a great showcase for the skill, expertise and
technology we continue to offer throughout the region.
A model for smaller city hospitals nationwide, the trauma
center is the busiest non-academic trauma hospital in the
country, caring for thousands of patients a year.
“The coordination of a trauma program like we have here
is a monumental task and achievement,” said Timothy Bray,
MD, Orthopedics, Medical Director of the trauma program.
“Everyone involved sees the importance of what we’re doing
and works together to provide the best patient care.”
Operating as the region’s only certified Level-II Trauma
Center, Renown Regional and the Reno orthopedic
From left to right: Daniel Coll, Orthopedic Physician Assistant, PAC; Peter
Althausen, MD; Tim O’Mara, MD; Timothy Bray, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Trauma
Service; Michael Cvitash, Orthopedic Physician Assistant, PAC.
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THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008
community work together to maintain high standards set
by the American College of Surgeons. Every three years, the
program undergoes re-certification and has held accreditation
since its inception in 1994.
Renown works closely with its traumatologists to
accommodate requests that will improve the way the system
functions. One of these requests was the addition of two
physician assistants in 2005, Dan Coll and Michael Cvitash.
The main focus of this addition was to have other clinical staff
who provide a workup of patients, assist in surgery, and offer
follow-up on issues related to the management of trauma
patients.
“We are grateful to the hospital for recognizing the
importance of the orthopedic trauma mission,” Dr. Bray
said. “The addition of the physician assistants has positively
impacted patient care. They are an integral part of the trauma
team.”
The hope of Renown’s trauma team is for hospitals in smaller
cities to see the benefit of making a system such as ours
work for them. With emergency room access limited
throughout the region, our facility sees patients
from all over the Great Basin including Eastern
Utah, southern Oregon and as far south as
Lone Pine, Calif.
“National data is showing a decreased
number of ER orthopedic surgeons,”
said Peter Althausen, MD, one of
Renown’s orthopedic traumatologists.
“It’s important everyone works
together and educates people on best
practices when it comes to trauma
patients. Our hope is to develop an
orthopedic trauma fellowship where
physicians can come here to learn
how our system works and then go
out with the tools to develop similar
programs in small city hospitals.”

total joint replacement
PROGRAM
services for the entire continuum of care
Total Joint Replacement Services at
Renown Health has been revamped
to continue providing patients the
best possible healthcare experience.
Available to those undergoing
total joint replacements, the new
program offers a continuity of care
provided by the nurses, physical and
occupational therapists, orthopedic
surgeons, and case managers.
Beginning at the surgeon’s office,
candidates are provided with
education about the benefits
of Renown Health’s Total Joint
Replacement Services. Upon
enrollment, patients are contacted
by Renown’s Total Joint Coordinator,
Sarah McDowell, RN, who welcomes
them into the program and is the
patient liaison throughout their
experience.
McDowell encourages each patient
to attend one of the pre-operative
education classes where patients
receive accurate information about
their procedure, helping to relieve
anxiety and maximize patient
outcome. Patients are encouraged
to bring a family member or friend
to class so they can coach and assist
them during recovery.
“We really try to make this a onestop-shop,”
said Elizabeth Frank,
RN, Orthopedics Nursing Manager.
“We encourage patients to complete
pre-op testing and lab work the same
day they come in for the education
classes.”
A team from across the healthcare spectrum helps with the Total Joint Replacement
program. They include, from left, Barbara Gabut, Physical Therapy Assistant; Sarah
McDowell, RN, Total Joint Coordinator; Elizabeth Frank, RN, Orthopedics Nursing
Manager; Alicia Glassco, RN, Mary Wilhoite, TMCC Nursing Student and Jeff Broderick,
Occupational Therapist.
After their procedure, patients
begin daily group physical therapy
sessions with a friend or family
member who acts as a coach
throughout their recovery. These
group sessions are designed to create
an immediate support system for the
patient and to build strength and
confidence preparing them for their
release.
“Our focus is to improve the
quality of our patients’ lives,” said
McDowell. “The entire department
has pushed for this interdisciplinary
program and we work tightly
together to make certain of the best
outcome for our patients.”
According to John Hawkins, Service
Line Administrator for Orthopedics,
Renown Health performs about 60
percent of northern Nevada’s total
joint replacement surgeries.
“This program has skill, expertise
and technology behind it, and
that really is what differentiates it
from the competition” said Steve
Cunningham, MD, Orthopedics,
Arthoplasty Medical Director.
“The friendly atmosphere and
knowledge of the entire team
make it the place in our region
to elect to have total joint
replacement procedures.”
ON THE COVER: From left to right: Kathi Morser, RN, Surgical Services;
Steve Cunningham, MD, Orthopedics, Medical Director of the Total Joint
Replacement Program; Luz Raygoza, student nurse; and Kitty Florez, RN,
Surgical Services.
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THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
Renown Health Employees of the Month are selected by a volunteer group of employees known as Renown Pride. This group
develops and supports programs to foster reward and recognition for employees. For more information about how to nominate a
fellow employee visit the People section on Inside Renown.
for FEBRUARY 2008
G E N U I N E
D I F F E R E N C E :
Make a genuine difference
for the many lives we touch
by optimizing our patients’
healthcare experience.
P e o p l e :
A great place for great
people to do great work.
Jason Kattehorn, Graduate Nurse, Intensive Care Unit,
Roseview Tower, Renown Regional Medical Center
Jason coordinated a wedding for a patient in the ICU. He helped
with social services, the charge nurse, spiritual services, and the
family. Jason arranged for cake and ice cream, and a card from all
of the staff to be given to the family. “The ceremony was beautiful
and the family was very thankful for the effort that Jason put
forth to ensure that the wedding would occur,” his nominator
wrote.
Liza Warner, Information Resources, Renown Health
During a recent system conversion for the Renown payroll system,
Liza spent a lot of time helping with internal customers. She
worked extra hours, including some days off, and did this work
on top of her regular issues. One wrote in Liza’s nomination that
she “digs deeper into issues that need critical research, and overall
provides assurance and support that things would work out fine.”
S e r v i c e :
Anticipate customer
needs and exceed
expectations in a
compassionate manner.
Amy Hawkins, RN, Intensive Care Unit, Sierra Tower, Renown
Regional
Amy was caring for a patient from out-of-town who later passed
away. After the patient’s family left for home, a package was
received for the family. Amy took the package home with her and
shipped it out to them the next day on her own time and using her
own money. “Thanks for providing great customer service, Amy,”
her nominator wrote.
Q u a l i t y :
Provide excellence by
doing the job right
the first time.
Katie Jones, Technician, Pharmacy, Renown Regional
As clinician liaison for new medications, Katie helped
pharmacists with new paperwork for Cardiovascular Services.
During this, she went above-and-beyond by adding medications
that would treat an allergic reaction to other non-invasive cardiac
testing medicines. She also called to make sure that medicine was
included on the unit.
Stewardship:
Maximize the use of
available, finite resources
to meet the current
and future needs of the
community.
Renee York, RN, Telemetry, Tahoe Tower, Renown Regional
Renee found an efficiency that has saved money for Renown.
During training for a new monitor system in Telemetry, she
suggested that the older paper used to print out results from
the system could continue to be used in place of newer, more
expensive paper. It turned out to be the case, and it affected
monitor print-outs in PACU and the Emergency Room as well as
Telemetry.
| 8 |
THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

star awardS
The Renown Pride team gives special Renown Star
awards to employees who have done work in the
community that deserves special recognition. This
month, there are three winners of Renown Star awards:
Rindy Zamboni- DiLoreto, CNA, General Surgical Unit,
Tahoe Tower, Renown Regional Medical Center
A patient who was in a car accident called Rindy “her
angel” in a thanks to Renown Health for her care.
Rindy witnessed the accident of the patient and pulled
over to assist and help paramedics at the scene. “She
took the time to come to my room and talk to me about
what happened. She truly deserves more than a thankyou,”
the patient wrote.
Steven Hall, Technician, and Lynn Kotlicky, Physical
Therapist, Rehabilitation Therapy, 50 Kirman
Lynn and Steven responded quickly when a person
collapsed in the parking lot at 50 Kirman. They
began CPR and assisted with the patient even after
paramedics arrived. Once the fire department relieved
them, they stayed with the family and assisted in
other ways. “Their take-control response was both
professional and brave,” their nominator wrote. “We
are lucky that they are members of our Reno and
Renown community.”
ABOVE: Steven Hall,
Technician & Lynn
Kotlickey, Physical
Theapist, Rehabilitation
Therapy at 50 Kirman.
LEFT: Rindy Zamboni-
DeLoreto, CNA, General
Surgery Unit, Renown
Regional.
leadership quest takes place
LEFT: An animated Lee
J. Colan, the keynote
speaker at Leadership
Quest, talked about the
art of Sticking to it.
BELOW: Leadership
Quest team members
act out a skit based
on a letter about one
patient’s Renown
Regional ER experience.
From left to right, Jared
Marks, Scott Knight, Jessi
Bosco, Jex Lawrence and
Bennie Stein.
About 300 Renown leaders gathered for the
twice-a-year Leadership Quest held on March 25
at the Peppermill Hotel Casino. This year’s event
focused on the Renown Regional Emergency
Room and the patient experience.
With more than 65,000 patients coming through
Renown Regional’s ER each year, Jim Miller,
President and CEO, helped leaders understand
why everyone plays an important role in the
patient experience. Larry Weber, Vice President
of Ancillary and Support Services, presented
leaders with a call to action relating to ER patient
experience and Allan Hanssen, Vice President of
Strategic Initiatives, educated about the need to
act as an integrated healthcare network.
Other covered topics included recognition of
World Class Workgroups, a look at Renown
Skilled Nursing’s improvement in employee
engagement and practices, and employee
work plans. The goal of Leadership Quest
is for attendees to communicate and
implement strategic initiatives within
their departments.
| 9 |
THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

Comings and Goings
This regular feature informs Monitor readers about leaders who have joined or left the health network and leaders
promoted to a position of manager or above.
NEW HIRES
Jane Postin, Chief Financial
Officer for Renown South
Meadows Medical Center,
Renown Rehabilitation Hospital,
Renown Skilled Nursing and
Renown Home Care
In Postin’s new position, she will
team with organizational leaders
to provide financial information
for decision-making with a focus
on cost management, revenue
enhancement and benchmarking. Postin has more than 10
years of experience in finance and healthcare. Before joining
Renown, she served as CFO for Kansas Medical Center in
Andover, Kan.. Postin is a board member and officer for the
Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Linda Fecteau, Manager of
Tax and Treasury, Financial
Management, Renown Health
Fecteau is responsible for the
management of the treasury
function for Renown and its
affiliates and the preparation
and/or coordination of all tax
or license filings. Fecteau has a
bachelor’s degree in accounting
and more than 30 years of
experience in accounting management.
Dave Mang, Manager of Supply
Services, Renown Regional
In his role, Mang is responsible
for the Central Supply Room,
which includes Case Cart
support for the Operating
Room. He is also responsible
for the Stores and Receiving
area and Mailroom Courier
Services. Patient supplies and
equipment are also distributed
from the Central Supply Room. Mang has a bachelor’s
degree in accounting, along with 28 years in manufacturing/
distribution operations, primarily in the music industry, that
began in central Illinois before Mang moved to Reno.
Kathy Milton, Manager, Renown
Medical Group, 910 Vista Blvd.,
and Fernley
In Milton’s new position, she will
oversee the operations for both
facilities including ensuring
excellent customer service, both
internal and external. She has 20
years of practice management
experience. Milton was
previously with Renown from
1988 to 1998, including time with the MSO billing service and
as a medical practice manager.
Sharon Vasquez, RN, CCRN, Nurse
Manager, ICU, Medical/Telemetry,
Renown South Meadows
Vasquez previously worked
in the Neurosciences and
Telemetry units from 1980 to
1985. Vasquez then worked
as a nurse manager for the
Sutter Neuroscience Center in
Sacramento. Other experience
includes work in Intensive Care at Northern Nevada Medical
Center (including five years as manager) and work in Cardiac
Intensive Care and Cardiac Surgery units at Shasta Regional
Medical Center in Redding, Calif. She has a bachelor’s degree
in nursing science from the University of Nevada, Reno.
FAREWELL TO:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Kim Arnott, Clinical Laboratory Manager, Renown
South Meadows
Brian Cotter, Administrator, Renown Rehabilitation
Hospital
Newton Chase, Director of Projects and Facilities,
Renown Regional
Glen Gemigniani, Contract Manager, Renown
Health
Julie Larsen, Pharmacy Manager, Renown Regional
Michele Pelter, PhD, RN, Director of Nursing
Research
Len Polak, Manager of Non-Invasive Cardiology,
Renown Regional
•
| 10 |
THE MONITOR APRIL 25, 2008

1.
PEOPLE AT WORK
From left, Registered Nurses Sharon
Spencer and Natasha St. John at one
of the Proud to be Renown events at
Renown Regional.
From left, Clinical Dietitians Linnea
Gundlach-Mangness and Shawna
McCarthy meet at Renown South
Meadows Medical Center.
Mario Martinez (left),
Cardiology Tech,
and Donna Brown,
Ultrasound Tech, with
the echocardiology
machine at Renown
South Meadows
Medical Center.
From left, Ladda
Haaheim, Houskeeper,
and Maria Quintos,
Residential Aide,
near the aquarium at
Monaco Ridge assisted
living.
Patient Access
Representatives
Robin Amato
(left) and Liz
Rodriguez at
Urgent Care,
975 Ryland
From left, Devin Chirrick,
Technical Director of Non-Invasive
Cardiovascular Services, and Bryan
Cox, Ultrasound Technician set up
a display at the Nevada Women’s
Expo at the Reno-Sparks Convention
Center. The two men work at Renown
Regional Medical Center.
From left, Kristen Stevens, Health
Promotion Coordinator; Deanna
Nelson, RN, Health and Wellness;
and Patti Sicherman, RN, Outpatient
Nurse, prep before the influx of
Nevada Women’s Expo attendees
seeking free health screenings from
Renown.

A GREAT PLACE FOR GREAT PEOPLE TO DO GREAT WORK.
Every month in the Monitor we share comments about employees from our patient satisfaction surveys.
These comments are from January 2008.
RENOWN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Please accept my sincerest gratitude to each and every
professional and compassionate staff member and doctor who
so kindly looked after me during my hospital stay. Each and
every shift was great.
EMERGENCY SERVICES, RENOWN REGIONAL
They allowed my husband to be with me and even brought him
coffee and a toothbrush to use. They were fabulous to him. The
staff, under the stress of having so many patients to be seen, were
very thorough, pleasant and professional at all times.
POST-PARTUM, RENOWN REGIONAL
The nurses made it so easy to learn how to take care of our
new baby that we wanted to take them home as well.
ONCOLOGY, RENOWN REGIONAL
The nurses on Oncology were excellent. They are very caring,
tender and well-skilled. They are the best.
MEDICAL/NEPHROLOGY, RENOWN REGIONAL
I was extremely impressed by their knowledge, skill, time
spent explaining and helping. Please acknowledge them.
TELEMETRY, RENOWN REGIONAL
I received immediate and professional attention. I appreciate
very much the care I received.
SAME DAY SURGERY, RENOWN REGIONAL
As a parent, I absolutely loved the children’s tour of the
surgery center. My four-year-old daughter, as a result, was
actually looking forward to her hospital procedure.
RENOWN MEDICAL GROUP, PEDIATRICS
I’ve already recommended your facility to many of my
friends. Thank you.
RENOWN SENIOR MEDICAL GROUP
It’s good for me, because I am allowed to express my thoughts and
what I want, and we discuss and make decisions based on these
discussions.
IMAGING AND X-RAY, 6570 S. McCARRAN BLVD.
I have never had a bad experience at the facility. Everyone has
been pleasant and professional.
IMAGING AND X-RAY, 75 PRINGLE WAY
The x-ray tech came out and greeted me, and explained the
situation in regards to delays and offered to answer questions.
It was excellent service. Everyone wore a smile.
RENOWN BREAST HEALTH CENTER
It’s an office that addresses mainly women’s needs and so it is
comforting and private. I get a positive feeling there.
RENOWN REHABILITATION HOSPITAL
Outpatient Therapy went out of their way for the well-being
of my mother. My experience at the facility was excellent, and
besides the food was good.
RENOWN SOUTH MEADOWS MEDICAL CENTER
It was an outstanding experience with a staff of well-trained
cooperative people in each level of responsibility, indicating
unusually good training and administration.
SAME DAY SURGERY, RENOWN SOUTH MEADOWS
I’ve heard from friends and co-workers about how kind the staff
at Renown has become, but I was so happy to have experienced
the kindness and concern by everyone. Exceptional.
EMERGENCY SERVICES, RENOWN SOUTH MEADOWS
My daughter and her girls, 2 and 4 years old, brought me to
emergency. The staff accommodated them beautifully with
apple juice and cartoons. My daughter was very grateful and
quite impressed with the staff.
DIETARY SERVICES, RENOWN SOUTH MEADOWS
The food was very good, and the staff always had a smile.
SURGICAL SERVICES, RENOWN SOUTH MEADOWS
Your hospital was very kind to accommodate my boyfriend. He
spent the night with me in my room and the nurses brought him a
roll-away bed. Thank you.
THE WEEKLY MONITOR | A PUBLICATION OF RENOWN HEALTH
MONITOR EDITOR
Mark Earnest
982-6774
communications
manager
Stacy Kendall
982-4651
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Cassandra Lindberg
EDITORIAL BOARD
Don Butterfield
Pamela Caggiula
Gayle Hurd
Stacy Miller
WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alexia Bratiotis
Emilyanne Harrison
Jex Lawrence
Nicole Shearer
Whitney Wall
Everyone’s opinion counts! Letter to the Editor:
To submit a letter to the editor, visit Inside Renown (Renown
Health’s intranet site), click on Newsletters>Submit a Story Idea/
Letter to the Editor and fill out the online form. Include your full
name, department, e-mail address and daytime phone number.
We reserve the right to publish your letters. Letters chosen for
publication may be edited for length and clarity.
Special thanks
John Hawkins
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